Fan assembly

ABSTRACT

A fan assembly includes a fan and a casing receiving the fan. The casing is formed by one-step injection molding and includes a base portion, a cover portion, a connection portion, and a plurality of anti-vibration members. The connection portion is formed by thermal-pressing and rotatably connects the cover portion and the base portion. The anti-vibration members are attached to the cover portion and the base portion and located between the fan and the cover portion and the base portion when the cover portion and the base portion are locked together to absorb vibration and prevent the transmission of the vibration to the casing.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to fan assemblies, and more specifically to a fan assembly having a casing.

2. Description of Related Art

Electronic equipments which generate heat need to be kept at a normal working range of temperature. Fans within their own casing, to prevent users from being accidentally hurt by the rapidly rotating blades of the fan, may be mounted to the electronic equipment. The casing usually includes a cover portion and a base portion secured together by means of bolts. Therefore, either the cover portion or the base portion must define a series of internally-threaded holes, which substantially increases the manufacturing expense because of the extra machining of the casing, as well as the costs of the bolts and the time spent actually bolting the cover and base portions to each other.

Therefore, what is needed is a fan assembly to solve the problems described above.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a fan assembly, in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an exploded isometric view of the fan assembly shown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIGS. 1-2, an exemplary embodiment of a fan assembly 1 is illustrated. The fan assembly 1 includes a casing 20 and a fan 10 received in the casing 20. In the embodiment, the casing 20 includes a cover portion 21 and a base portion 22 that can rotate on the cover portion 21. The base portion 22 and the cover portion 21 are connected together by a connection portion 23. In the embodiment, a one-step injection molding process is first performed to form a first wall and a second wall connected to the first wall. A thermal-pressing process is then performed to create a reduced-thickness portion on the first wall. The reduced-thickness portion (the connection portion 23) has a lesser thickness and allows a first portion of the first wall (the cover portion 21) to rotate with respect to the other portion of the first wall and the second wall (the base portion 22). In an alternative embodiment, the connection portion 23 may be a hinge.

The cover and base portions 21, 22 defines a variety of vents 24 allowing the air to be drawn in and discharged. In the embodiment, at least one hook 220 is formed on the base portion 22, extending from a first edge 221 of the base portion 22. A second edge 211 of the cover portion 21 defines at least one latch slot 210 which accommodates and secures a hook 220. When the cover portion 21 is rotated to a closed position, the hook 220 snaps into the latching slot 210 which locks the cover portion 21 in the closed position. To unlock the casing 20, a user can push the hook 220 out with finger pressure to disengage the hook 220 from the latching slot 210. FIGS. 1-2 show two hooks 220 and two latch slots 210. However, the numbers of the hook 220 and the latch slot 210 are not limited thereto and can be varied according to need.

In an alternative embodiment, a magnet may be arranged at each of the first and second edges 211, 221, thereby locking the casing 20 in a closed position by virtue of the attractive force between the magnets.

A variety of anti-vibration members 25 are attached to the inner side of the cover and base portions 21, 22. When the casing 20 is locked, the anti-vibration members 25 are located between the fan 10 and the cover and base portions 21, 22, and are capable of absorbing the major portion of the vibration generated due to the rotation of the fan 10, and preventing the transmission of the vibration to the casing 20. The anti-vibration members 25 can be made of flexible material, such as rubber. In the embodiment, the anti-vibration members 25 are glued to the cover and base portions 21, 22. In an alternative embodiment, each of the cover and base portions 21, 22 may define a variety of grooves or depressions (not shown) to receive the anti-vibration members 25.

Although the present disclosure has been described in accordance with the embodiments shown, one of ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize that there could be variations to the embodiments and those variations would be within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Accordingly, many modifications may be made by one of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A fan assembly comprising: a fan; and a casing receiving the fan, formed by one-step injection molding, and comprising: a base portion; a cover portion; a connection portion formed by thermal-pressing and rotatably connected to the cover portion and the base portion; and a plurality of anti-vibration members attached to the cover portion and the base portion and located between the fan and the cover portion and the base portion when the cover portion and the base portion are locked together to absorb vibration generated by the fan and prevent transmission of the vibration to the casing.
 2. The fan assembly as described in claim 1, wherein the base portion comprises at least one hook, at least one latch slot is defined at the cover portion to accommodate and secure the at least one hook, thereby allowing the hook and the latching slot to be snapped together to lock the casing.
 3. The fan assembly as described in claim 2, wherein the base portion comprises two hooks, and the cover portion correspondingly defines two latch slots.
 4. The fan assembly as described in claim 1, wherein the anti-vibration members are glued to the cover portion and the base portion.
 5. The fan assembly as described in claim 4, wherein the anti-vibration members are made of a flexible material. 